linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH v4] kptr_restrict for hiding kernel pointers

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Message-ID: <20101222162025.GB20358@elte.hu>
Date:	Wed, 22 Dec 2010 17:20:25 +0100
From:	Ingo Molnar <mingo@...e.hu>
To:	Dan Rosenberg <drosenberg@...curity.com>
Cc:	linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org, netdev@...r.kernel.org,
	linux-security-module@...r.kernel.org, jmorris@...ei.org,
	eric.dumazet@...il.com, tgraf@...radead.org, eugeneteo@...nel.org,
	kees.cook@...onical.com, davem@...emloft.net,
	a.p.zijlstra@...llo.nl, akpm@...ux-foundation.org,
	eparis@...isplace.org,
	Linus Torvalds <torvalds@...ux-foundation.org>
Subject: Re: [PATCH v4] kptr_restrict for hiding kernel pointers


* Dan Rosenberg <drosenberg@...curity.com> wrote:

> 
> > Hm, why is it off by default? Is there some user-space regression that is caused 
> > by this?
> > 
> > We really want good security measures to be active by default (and to work by 
> > default) - they are not worth much if they are not.
> 
> I agree entirely, but I've received a lot of resistance to these types
> of changes in net.  I'm afraid that if it's enabled by default, no one
> will actually allow use of the %pK specifier where it should be used.

Some specific objections would be needed - which might arrive if the default is 
changed to on.

> As far as I know, there's no actual breakage of anything in userspace,
> but there's a general "it might make it harder to debug things in
> certain limited circumstances" sentiment among some.  I never understood
> why it is necessary for unprivileged users to be able to debug the
> kernel.
> 
> Does anyone else have thoughts on this?

Well, lets just enable it by default and let others argue for less security, hm?

Thanks,

	Ingo
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